Frugal Homeowner Transforms Kitchen Island With $15 Wood Panels

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Renovating a kitchen can be a stressful expensive undertaking, but sometimes upgrading just one element can be enough to give the whole room a new look. It doesn't need to be an expensive upgrade, either. Instagrammer Paola Arcila demonstrated this by buying affordable wood paneling pieces and using them to transform a kitchen island. The island is a central part of any open-plan kitchen, and changes made there have a big visual impact. The choice of wood instantly adds warmth and a natural texture to a kitchen, and the uniform vertical slats keeps the look more modern than rustic. It's a fresh take on the popular '80s kitchen design trend that's making a comeback.

This affordable upgrade is something you can tackle yourself over a weekend, but you will need a bit of DIY know-how and a few tools at your disposal. In this case, the paneling was applied directly over the existing surface, so there was no prep work on the island required. The key is measuring the area of the island you want to cover, which will determine how many panels you need and how long to cut them. You'll need a miter saw or circular saw, but once the panels are cut, it's just a matter of sticking them on. A construction adhesive like Loctite PL Premium should do the trick, but you can add nails for extra security.

The paneling itself is going to be the most costly part of this upgrade, so your choice is going to determine just how affordable it is. The good news is that you can find a huge range of designs, colors, and materials to choose from. The bad news is that you'll have to do a bit of math when comparing prices. It's not just the price per panel you need to consider, but the size of the area it covers. A $60 pack that covers 32 square feet is going to be better value than $15 panels that cover just 4.5 square feet. The materials matter, too; the affordable panels in Paola Arcila's renovation are louvered MDF panels from Home Depot, but for solid wood or even wood veneer, you can expect to pay significantly more.

The cost will depend on the size of your island, but with smart shopping, you could get this done for just about $100. Even with an upgrade to something more decorative like fluted paneling, you'd only really be looking at $200 in materials. Of course, you also need to consider the aesthetic you want to achieve. Deep wood tones can create a timeless look – think cherry or mahogany — while lighter finishes offer a more airy feel and work well in smaller spaces. If you have existing paneling elsewhere in the kitchen, it might be tempting to try and match the look, but mixing wood textures can actually make the kitchen feel less busy.